JP7525772B2 - Ampoule container and method for manufacturing the same - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an ampoule container and a method for manufacturing an ampoule container.

Conventionally, small, one-time use plastic ampule containers have been proposed. Such ampule containers are convenient to carry and clean, making them useful as small containers for medicines, agricultural chemicals, or horticultural chemicals (e.g., herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, hormones, etc.).

For example, Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose a method for manufacturing an ampoule made of a synthetic resin material, and the ampoule itself. Patent Document 3 discloses an ampoule container sealed with a resin that has glass adhesive properties and hardens under normal conditions.

A typical ampoule container has a body in which a medicinal liquid or the like is contained, and a head formed on the upper side of the body and with an open tip. The body and head are connected via a narrower part that is narrower than the body and head.

These plastic ampule containers are sealed after the liquid medicine is poured into them. The most common method for sealing ampule containers is to melt the plastic near the top opening of the ampule container from above using ultrasonic vibration or direct heat to seal the container.

Other possible sealing methods include heating the ampoule container from the side while crimping it, or sealing it with a screw-type cap, such as a screw tube.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 9-238525 (published on September 16, 1997) JP-A-5-293159 (published on November 9, 1993) JP-A-61-115853 (published on June 3, 1986)

In the technology for sealing ampule containers, the first challenge is to ensure that no pinholes remain in the sealed area and that no liquid leaks from the sealed area. In addition, it is also important that the shape of sealed ampule containers is roughly consistent (for example, the height is roughly consistent).

When sealing an ampule container by melting the plastic near the opening at the top, it is not possible to completely prevent pinholes from forming in the melted plastic, and a certain number of ampule containers end up leaking. In addition, it is difficult to completely eliminate pinholes when crimping the ampule container from the side while heating it, or when sealing it with a screw.

One aspect of the present invention aims to provide an ampoule container that can prevent liquid leakage from the stopper more effectively than ever before, and a method for manufacturing the ampoule container.

In order to solve the above problems, an ampoule container according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a plastic container body having a head with an opening at the tip, a body, and a narrowed portion that connects the head and body and is narrower than the head and body, and a plastic lid welded to the head to close the opening.

In order to solve the above problems, a method for manufacturing an ampoule container according to one embodiment of the present invention involves welding a plastic lid that closes the opening to a plastic container having a head with an opening at the tip, a body, and a narrower portion that connects the head and body and is thinner than the head and body, and then fusing the container body.

According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to suppress liquid leakage at the sealed portion more than before.

1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of an ampoule container according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of an ampoule container according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of an ampoule container according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a top view showing a schematic configuration of an ampoule container according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a side view showing a configuration of a container body provided in an ampoule container according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1A, 1B, and 1C are diagrams showing the configuration of a lid provided on an ampoule container according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1A is a side view showing a schematic diagram of a conventional method for fusing an ampule container by ultrasonic welding, and FIG. 1B is an enlarged view showing a joint between a container body and a welding horn. 1A and 1B are a side view and an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a joining portion between a container body and a lid, respectively, in a schematic manner illustrating a method for fusing an ampoule container according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a modified example of an ampoule container according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a modified example of an ampoule container according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of a modified example of an ampoule container according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a top view showing a schematic configuration of a modified example of an ampoule container according to an embodiment of the present invention.

One embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the general configuration of an ampoule container 10 according to this embodiment. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the general configuration of an ampoule container 10 according to this embodiment. FIG. 3 is a side view showing the general configuration of an ampoule container 10 according to this embodiment. FIG. 4 is a top view showing the general configuration of an ampoule container 10 according to this embodiment.

As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the ampoule container 10 according to this embodiment has a two-piece structure including a plastic container body 1 and a plastic lid 2 welded to the container body 1. The ampoule container 10 is manufactured by welding the container body 1 and the lid 2 together. That is, the ampoule container 10 has a welded portion 3 between the container body 1 and the lid 2, where the material of the container body 1 and the material of the lid 2 are welded together. This welded portion 3 is made up of the welded material between the container body 1 and the lid 2. The welded portion 3 will be described later.

In this specification, the side of the container body 1 facing the lid 2 is referred to as the upper side, and the side opposite the lid 2 is referred to as the lower side.

Figure 5 is a side view showing the configuration of the container body 1. As shown in Figure 5, the container body 1 is made of plastic and includes a head 1a and a body 1c, with a constricted portion 1b between the head 1a and the body 1c. The constricted portion 1b is a portion that connects the body 1c and the constricted portion 1b, and is narrower than the body 1c and the head 1a. The head 1a has a conical tube shape that is longer and thinner than the body 1c, and the diameter becomes smaller toward the upper side. In addition, an opening 1d is formed at the upper end of the head 1a. The body 1c has a bottomed cylindrical shape, and is a portion that contains a desired medicinal solution X such as a pesticide, agricultural chemical, or horticultural chemical (e.g., herbicide, insecticide, fungicide, hormone, etc.). The lid 2 is welded to the head 1a of the container body 1.

The portion of the container body 1 above the constricted portion 1b is cut off and removed. The medicinal liquid X in the container body 1 is then taken out and used through the opening in the container body 1 formed by this cutting. More specifically, by gripping the container body 1 of the ampoule container 10 and pressing the head portion 1a hard with a thumb or the like, the head portion 1a of the container body 1 is bent and cut off starting from the constricted portion 1b. This cutting forms an opening in the container body 1 near the constricted portion 1b. The medicinal liquid in the container body 1 is transferred from this opening to, for example, a spray container for application, and diluted to the desired concentration before use.

Figure 6 shows the configuration of the lid 2 before welding, with (a) in FIG. 6 being a perspective view, (b) in FIG. 6 being a side view, and (c) in FIG. 6 being a cross-sectional view. As shown in (a) to (c) in FIG. 6, the lid 2 has a main body closing portion 2a and a main body insert portion 2c. The main body closing portion 2a is a disk shape having a diameter substantially the same as the diameter of the top surface portion of the head 1a of the container body 1. Also, as shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 3, and FIG. 6 (c), a recess 2e is provided on the surface of the main body closing portion 2a opposite the head 1a of the container body 1. Also, the main body insert portion 2c is formed to protrude downward from the main body closing portion 2a. The main body insert portion 2c is a portion inserted from the opening 1d of the head 1a, has an outer diameter substantially the same as the inner diameter of the tubular portion of the head 1a, and its outer periphery fits into the opening 1d of the head 1a. The main body insertion section 2c is cylindrical in shape with a bottom surface on the upper side and an open bottom.

Before welding, the lid 2 has a rib 2b formed on an opposing surface 2d that faces the top surface of the head 1a in the main body closing portion 2a. In a cross-sectional shape including the central axis of the lid 2, the rib 2b has a mountain shape that protrudes downward from the opposing surface 2d, i.e., toward the container body 1. The rib 2b may also have a shape that protrudes in an arc toward the container body 1 (not shown). The rib 2b is also formed in a circle with the central axis of the lid 2 as its axis. The rib 2b is the part that comes into contact with the top surface of the head 1a when the opening 1d of the head 1a in the container body 1 is closed by the lid 2. Therefore, the welded portion 3 between the top surface of the head 1a and the lid 2 contains the melted material of the rib 2b.

The method for welding the container body 1 and the lid 2 can be a conventional method, such as heat welding or ultrasonic welding. From the viewpoint of shortening the welding time, it is preferable that the container body 1 and the lid 2 are ultrasonically welded.

Figure 7 shows a side view that shows a conventional method of fusing an ampule container by ultrasonic welding, and an enlarged view of the joint between the container body 1' and the welding horn.

As shown in FIG. 7, a conventional ampoule container is a one-piece structure including only the container body 1'. In a conventional fusible plug, welding is performed in a state where the top surface of the container body 1' is in contact with the welding horn. Ultrasonic vibration energy is transmitted to the welding horn via an ultrasonic oscillator (not shown), a converter (not shown) that converts a high-frequency electric signal from the ultrasonic oscillator into mechanical vibration energy, and a booster that amplifies the mechanical vibration energy. Then, when the top surface of the container body 1' is in contact with the welding horn, frictional heat is generated on the top surface of the container body 1' and its vicinity due to the ultrasonic vibration energy transmitted from the welding horn. Then, the top surface of the container body 1' and its vicinity are melted by this frictional heat, and the welding horn is pressed downward from the top surface and welded, thereby fusible the container body 1'.

The conventional method for fusing the container body 1' shown in Figure 7 has the following problems:

First, because the ampoule container is a one-piece structure, the fusible plug portion is a welded portion consisting of the top surface of the container body 1' and the molten material in the vicinity. Therefore, the shape of the fusible plug portion is non-uniform between the container bodies 1'. It is therefore difficult to make the height of the container body 1' constant after fusion. For this reason, when shipping ampoule containers, there are a certain number of ampoule containers that have quality problems, such as being unable to be stored in a storage box.

In addition, in conventional fusible plug methods, it is not possible to completely prevent the formation of pinholes in the fusible plug portion of the container body 1'. For this reason, there is a certain percentage of ampule containers in which liquid leaks from the fusible plug portion. It is believed that such liquid leakage is caused by the liquid medicine adhering to the head 1a of the container body 1' inhibiting the welding of the welding pieces 1e when the liquid medicine is filled (injected) into the container body 1'. Another possible cause of liquid leakage is that the container body 1' cools and shrinks after welding, or the internal pressure applied to the container body 1' when the welding horn is used to press the top surface of the container body 1' or its vicinity acts outward on the container body 1', causing cracks or the like to occur mainly in the fusible plug portion of the container body 1'.

Furthermore, in conventional plugging methods, when the plug is fused while the top surface of the container body 1' is in contact with the welding horn, stress is applied to the head 1a. This causes the head 1a of the container body 1' to break, resulting in a broken-necked ampule container.

The ampoule container 10 according to this embodiment is configured to solve the problems that arise with conventional plugging methods. In particular, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of the liquid leakage. Figure 8 shows a side view that typically illustrates the plugging method for the ampoule container 10 according to this embodiment, and an enlarged view that illustrates an enlarged view of the joint between the container body 1 and the lid 2.

As shown in FIG. 8, in the plugging method for the ampoule container 10 according to this embodiment, first, the body insertion portion 2c of the lid 2 is inserted into the head 1a of the container body 1, and the head 1a and the rib 2b of the body closing portion 2a are separated. Then, the welding horn is lowered, and the plugging process is performed with the rib 2b of the lid 2 in contact with the top surface of the head 1a of the container body 1. At this time, as shown in the enlarged view of FIG. 8, the rib 2b of the body closing portion 2a is in contact with the top surface 1f of the head 1a, and the body insertion portion 2c is inserted into the opening 1d of the head 1a. In this state, the ultrasonic vibration energy transmitted from the welding horn is transmitted to the rib 2b of the lid 2. Then, the transmitted ultrasonic vibration energy causes friction between the rib 2b and the head 1a, generating strong frictional heat at the top surface 1f of the head 1a and the rib 2b of the lid 2. This causes the rib 2b to melt, and the body closing portion 2a of the lid 2 and the top surface 1f of the head 1a are welded together to form the welded portion 3, and the container body 1 is fused by the lid 2. In the ampoule container 10 according to this embodiment, the welded portion 3 is configured to include the molten rib 2b.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the fusible plug treatment is performed on a two-piece structure consisting of the container body 1 and the lid 2. Therefore, the fusible plug portion of the ampoule container 10 does not depend on the shape of the welded portion 3, and is substantially the same shape as the lid 2. Therefore, the shape of the fusible plug portion is uniform among the ampoule containers 10, and the height and shape of the ampoule container 10 after fusible plugging can be made constant.

In addition, according to this embodiment, the opening 1d of the container body 1 is plugged with the body closure portion 2a of the lid 2, so the occurrence of pinholes and cracks can be suppressed. This makes it possible to suppress the occurrence of ampoule containers 10 that leak liquid.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the container body 1 is fused while in contact with the welding horn via the lid 2. Therefore, there is no need to use the welding horn to press the head of the container (the top surface of the container body 1' or its vicinity), and the stress on the head 1a can be reduced. This makes it possible to prevent the head 1a of the container body 1 from breaking and resulting in a broken ampoule container 10.

In addition, according to this embodiment, the rib 2b melts and the body closing portion 2a of the lid 2 and the top surface 1f of the head 1a are welded together to form the welded portion 3. In this way, the container body 1 is fused by the lid 2, so the time and energy required for welding can be reduced. This also reduces the cooling time.

In addition, according to this embodiment, the rib 2b and the top surface 1f of the head 1a are in line contact. Therefore, the pressure applied from above by the welding horn is less likely to disperse laterally. This allows the ultrasonic vibration energy from the welding horn to be efficiently transmitted to the contact area between the container body 1 and the lid 2. As a result, the welding strength between the container body 1 and the lid 2 is increased.

The material of the container body 1 and the lid 2 is not particularly limited as long as it is a meltable thermoplastic resin. Preferably, the material of the container body 1 and the lid 2 is polypropylene. When the material of the container body 1 and the lid 2 is polypropylene, it is preferable that the lid 2 is made of polypropylene having a higher elastic modulus than the container body 1. Note that the "elastic modulus" here means the tensile elastic modulus measured by a test method conforming to JIS K7161 or 7162.

If the lid 2 is made of polypropylene with a lower elastic modulus than the container body 1, the deformation of the body closing part 2a of the lid 2 in response to the load increases during ultrasonic welding, making it easier to absorb ultrasonic vibration energy. This causes the body closing part 2a to melt in addition to the ribs 2b, and there is a risk that the body closing part 2a will be crushed. On the other hand, if the lid 2 is made of polypropylene with a higher elastic modulus than the container body 1, the deformation of the body closing part 2a of the lid 2 in response to the load is small, resulting in good weldability while maintaining the shape of the body closing part 2a.

The difference in the modulus of elasticity between the material constituting the container body 1 and the material constituting the lid 2 is more than 850 MPa and not more than 1400 MPa, preferably 950 MPa or more and 1300 MPa or less, more preferably 1050 MPa or more and 1200 MPa or less. For example, when the modulus of elasticity of the material constituting the container body 1 is 650 MPa, the modulus of elasticity of the material constituting the lid 2 is more than 1500 MPa and not more than 2050 MPa, preferably 1600 MPa or more and 1950 MPa or less, more preferably 1700 MPa or more and 1850 MPa or less. More specifically, the material constituting the container body 1 is Sumitomo Noblen (registered trademark) (manufactured by Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd., random copolymer: grade S131, modulus of elasticity 650 MPa), and the material constituting the lid 2 is Novatec (registered trademark) PP (manufactured by Japan Polypropylene Corporation, block copolymer: monomer unit BC03C, modulus of elasticity 1800 MPa).

In the actual manufacture of the ampoule container 10, the container body 1 is transported to the welding horn in the state shown in FIG. 8. The body insertion portion 2c of the lid 2 plays a role in holding the body closure portion 2a, which comes into contact with the welding horn, so that it does not move relative to the head 1a while the container body 1 is transported to the welding horn. The vertical length of the body insertion portion 2c may be any length that allows the body closure portion 2a to be held against the head 1a. For example, the vertical length of the body insertion portion 2c is at least the same as the diameter of the opening of the head 1a, and preferably slightly longer than the diameter of the opening of the head 1a.

The shape of the main body inserting portion 2c is not particularly limited as long as it can be inserted into the opening 1d and can hold the main body closing portion 2a against the head portion 1a. The shape of the main body inserting portion 2c is not limited to the hollow shape shown in (a) to (c) of Figure 6, and may be solid with no hollow portion. From the viewpoint of reducing the amount of material of the lid 2, it is preferable that the main body inserting portion 2c of the lid 2 is hollow.

The shape of the rib 2b does not necessarily have to be a specific one, but it is preferable that it has a pointed mountain shape toward the top surface 1f of the head 1a of the container body 1, as shown in the enlarged view of FIG. 8, for example, or that it has an arc shape (not shown) that protrudes toward the top surface 1f of the head 1a of the container body 1. By using such a shape, the contact area between the rib 2b and the top surface 1f of the head 1a can be reduced, and the welded portion 3 can be formed efficiently.

In the configurations shown in Figures 1 to 8, the welded portion 3 was formed on the top surface 1f of the container body 1. However, the location of the welded portion 3 is not limited to the top surface 1f, and is not particularly limited as long as it is a portion where the container body 1 and the lid 2 come into contact. For example, if the body insertion portion 2c of the lid 2 is solid and has no hollow portion, the welded portion 3 may be formed on the inner surface of the head 1a due to frictional heat between the side wall surface of the body insertion portion 2c and the inner surface of the head 1a.

When the main body insertion portion 2c is hollow as shown in (a) to (c) of FIG. 6, it is preferable that the welded portion 3 is formed on the top surface 1f of the head portion 1a, as shown in the enlarged view of FIG. 8. This is because the main body insertion portion 2c is hollow, and ultrasonic vibration energy is not efficiently transmitted to the side wall surface of the main body insertion portion 2c, resulting in a reduced weld strength at the welded portion (the inner surface of the head portion 1a). Also, when the main body insertion portion 2c is solid and has no hollow portion, ultrasonic vibration energy can be efficiently transmitted to the side wall surface of the main body insertion portion 2c, and therefore the welded portion 3 can be formed on the inner surface of the head portion 1a.

In addition, in the ampoule container 10 according to this embodiment, it is preferable that the welded portion 3 is formed on either the inner surface of the head 1a or the top surface 1f. If the welded portion 3 is formed on both the inner surface of the head 1a and the top surface 1f, air or the like will get mixed into the welded portion 3, reducing the weld strength.

(Method of manufacturing the ampoule container 10)
The method for manufacturing the ampoule container 10 according to the present embodiment is a method for plugging the container body 1 by welding a plastic container body 1 having a head 1a with an opening 1d at the tip, a body 1c, and a constricted portion 1b connecting the head 1a and the body 1c and narrower than the head 1a and the body 1c, and a plastic lid 2 closing the opening 1d, as shown in Fig. 1 to Fig. 8, and forming a welded portion 3 between the container body 1 and the lid 2. It is particularly preferable to ultrasonically weld the container body 1 and the lid 2 when plugging the container body 1, as shown in Fig. 8. In addition, when ultrasonically welding the container body 1 and the lid 2, it is preferable to ultrasonically weld the top surface 1f of the container body 1 and the lid 2.

Here, the ultrasonic welding conditions can be set appropriately depending on the ultrasonic oscillator used, the materials of the container body 1 and the lid 2, etc.

(Modification)
With regard to the ampoule container 10 according to the present embodiment, a modified version of the configuration shown in Figs. 1 to 4 will be described. Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of an ampoule container 10A as this modified version. Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of the ampoule container 10A. Fig. 11 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of the ampoule container 10A. Fig. 12 is a top view showing a schematic configuration of the ampoule container 10A.

As shown in Figures 9 to 12, the ampoule container 10A differs from the configuration shown in Figures 1 to 4 in that the surface of the lid 2 opposite the head 1a of the container body 1 does not have a recess 2e. The surface of the lid 2 opposite the head 1a of the container body 1 is flat. Even with this configuration, it is possible to suppress liquid leakage from the sealed portion more than in the past.

The color of the ampoule containers 10 and 10A according to this embodiment is not particularly limited. At least a portion of the ampoule containers 10 and 10A may be non-translucent or may be translucent. Furthermore, the ampoule containers 10 and 10A may be transparent or non-transparent.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims. The technical scope of the present invention also includes embodiments obtained by appropriately combining the technical means disclosed in different embodiments.

〔summary〕
The ampoule container 10 according to aspect 1 of the present invention comprises a plastic container body 1 having a head 1a with an opening 1d at its tip, a body 1c, and a narrowed portion 1b connecting the head 1a and the body 1c and being narrower than the head 1a and the body 1c, and a plastic lid 2 welded to the head 1a and closing the opening 1d.

According to the above configuration, the ampoule container 10 is plugged with the opening 1d of the container body 1 blocked by the body closing portion 2a of the lid 2. Therefore, the above configuration can prevent pinholes from occurring in the plug portion of the container body 1. This can prevent the occurrence of ampoule containers 10 that leak liquid. Therefore, the above configuration can prevent liquid leakage from the sealed portion more than ever before.

In the ampoule container 10 according to aspect 2 of the present invention, in aspect 1, the lid 2 has a rib 2b protruding from the surface (opposing surface 2d) facing the top surface 1f of the head 1a before welding, and is welded to the head by the molten rib 2b.

According to the above configuration, the lid 2 is formed by welding the top surface 1f of the head 1a to the rib 2b. Therefore, the time and energy required for welding can be reduced, especially when ultrasonic welding is used.

The ampoule container 10 according to aspect 3 of the present invention is configured as in aspect 2, in which the rib 2b has a mountain shape protruding toward the top surface 1f of the head 1a or an arc shape protruding toward the top surface of the head 1a.

This reduces the contact area between the rib 2b and the top surface 1f of the head 1a, allowing the welded portion 3 to be formed efficiently.

In the ampoule container 10 according to aspect 4 of the present invention, in aspect 2 or 3, the container body 1 and the lid 2 are made of polypropylene, and the lid 2 is made of polypropylene having a higher elastic modulus than the container body 1.

According to the above configuration, the lid 2 is made of polypropylene, which has a higher elastic modulus than the container body 1, so the lid 2 is less likely to deform under load, and the lid 2 retains its shape while also having good weldability.

The ampoule container 10 according to aspect 5 of the present invention is configured to be used as a container for storing pesticides or horticultural chemicals in any of aspects 1 to 4.

The lid 2 according to aspect 6 of the present invention is a lid 2 provided on an ampoule container 10 according to any one of aspects 1 to 5, and is configured to have a rib 2b protruding from the surface (opposing surface 2d) facing the top surface 1f of the head 1a before welding.

According to the above configuration, the ampoule container 10 is formed by welding the top surface 1f of the head 1a of the lid 2 to the rib 2b. Therefore, the time and energy required for welding can be reduced, especially when ultrasonic welding is used.

The lid 2 according to aspect 7 of the present invention is configured as in aspect 6, in which the rib 2b has a mountain shape protruding toward the top surface 1f of the head 1a or an arc shape protruding toward the top surface 1f of the head 1a of the container body 1.

This reduces the contact area between the rib 2b and the top surface 1f of the head 1a, allowing the welded portion 3 to be formed efficiently.

The lid 2 according to aspect 8 of the present invention is the same as in aspect 6 or 7, in which the container body 1 and the lid 2 are made of polypropylene, and the lid 2 is made of polypropylene having a higher elastic modulus than the container body 1.

According to the above configuration, the lid 2 is made of polypropylene, which has a higher elastic modulus than the container body 1, so the lid 2 is less likely to deform under load, and the lid 2 retains its shape while also having good weldability.

The manufacturing method of the ampoule container 10 according to aspect 9 of the present invention is a method of welding a plastic lid 2 that closes the opening 1d to a plastic container body 1 having a head 1a with an opening 1d at the tip, a body 1c, and a narrowed portion 1b that connects the head 1a and the body 1c and is narrower than the head 1a and the body 1c, thereby fusing the container body 1.

The above configuration makes it possible to prevent liquid leakage from the sealed portion more effectively than ever before.

The manufacturing method of the ampoule container 10 according to aspect 10 of the present invention is a method in which, in aspect 9, the lid 2 has a rib 2b protruding from a surface (opposing surface 2d) facing the top surface 1f of the head 1a, and the rib 2b is melted to weld the lid 2 to the container body 1.

The above configuration can reduce the time and energy required to weld the container body 1 and the lid 2, especially when ultrasonic welding is used.

The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

The conditions for ultrasonic welding between the container body 1 and the lid 2 of the ampoule container 10 shown in Figures 1 to 3 were examined.

(1) Conditions for Dimensions of Container Body 1 and Lid 2 The thickness of the body closing portion 2a of the lid 2 is 1.5 mm or 2.0 mm.

The dimensions of the body insertion portion 2c of the lid 2 are such that there is some margin of freedom when the body insertion portion 2c is inserted into the opening 1d.

The target height of the ampoule container 10 is 99.0 mm, with a tolerance of the thickness of the main body closure part 2a (1.5 mm or 2.0 mm) + the height of the container body 1 (97.0 mm) ± 1.0 mm.

(2) Materials of Container Body 1 and Lid 2 The material of the container body 1 is Sumitomo Noblen (registered trademark) (manufactured by Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd., random copolymer: grade S131, elastic modulus 650 MPa).

The lid 2 was made using the following four materials:

Material A: Novatec (registered trademark) PP (Japan Polypropylene Corporation, random copolymer, injection molding grade MG2TA, elastic modulus 1100 MPa)
Material B: Prime Polypro (registered trademark) (Prime Polymer Co., Ltd., random copolymer, injection molding grade J850NA, elastic modulus 1350 MPa)
Material C: Novatec (registered trademark) PP (Japan Polypropylene Corporation, homopolymer, injection molding grade MA3, elastic modulus 1600 MPa)
Material D: Novatec (registered trademark) PP (Japan Polypropylene Corporation, block copolymer, injection molding grade BC03C, elastic modulus 1800 MPa).

(3) Conditions for ultrasonic welding For ultrasonic welding of the container body 1 and the lid 2, an ultrasonic oscillator 2000Xdt manufactured by BRANSON was used. Based on the setting standard of the ultrasonic oscillator 2000Xdt, the lowering speed of the welding horn was set to 5 (23 mm/s) and the amplitude was set in the range of 60% to 90%. In addition, the pressing force of the welding horn on the lid 2 was set to 0.1 MPa. Furthermore, the height of the melted portion (collapse) was set to about 0.2 mm to 0.3 mm.

The time (welding time) during which the welding horn was in contact with the lid 2 and ultrasonic waves were applied was set to 0.3 or 0.2 seconds. The time (hold time) during which the ultrasonic waves were stopped and the welding horn was held (cooled) without being removed from the lid 2 was set to 1 or 0.5 seconds.

Based on the above (3), we investigated ultrasonic welding of a total of eight types of lids 2 between the container body 1 and the two thicknesses of the main body closure portion 2a set in the above (1) and the four materials A to D for the lid 2 shown in the above (2). The specific ultrasonic welding conditions for each investigation experiment are as follows.

After welding, the ampoule container 10 was turned upside down and the top side was placed in contact with water-sensitive paper (water-submersion detection sticker (without adhesive) manufactured by Toko Kogyo Co., Ltd., product name/product number: D-1 90 mm x 300 mm) to check for leakage of the medicinal liquid enclosed in the container.

Study experiment 1
Amplitude: 90%, pressure: 0.1 MPa, descent speed: 5, height of melted part (collapse): approximately 0.2 to 0.3 mm, welding time: 0.3 seconds, hold time: 1 second.

Experiment 2
The settings were the same as in Experiment 1, except that the welding time was 0.2 seconds.

Experiment 3
The settings were the same as in Experiment 2, except that the amplitude was set to 80%.

Experiment 4
The settings were the same as in Experiment 3, except that the welding time was 0.3 seconds.

Experiment 5
The settings were the same as in Experiment 4, except that the amplitude was set to 75%.

Experiment 6
The settings were the same as in Experiment 4, except that the amplitude was set to 70%.

Experiment 7
The settings were the same as in Experiment 4, except that the amplitude was set to 60%.

Experiment 8
The settings were the same as in Experiment 4, except that the amplitude was 70% and the hold time was 0.5 seconds.

Table 1 shows the results of the above experiments 1 to 8.

As shown in Table 1, when a material with a relatively low elastic modulus and softness (materials A, B, and C) was used for the lid 2, the deformation of the main body closure part 2a in response to the load increased, making it easier for the ultrasonic vibration energy to be absorbed, and the upper end of the main body closure part 2a was easily crushed (research experiments 1 to 4). On the other hand, when a material with a relatively high elastic modulus and hardness (material D) was used, the deformation of the main body closure part 2a in response to the load decreased, so the shape of the main body closure part 2a was maintained and the ultrasonic weldability was also good (research experiments 1 to 4).

When comparing the thickness of the main body closure part 2a with thicknesses of 1.5 mm and 2.0 mm, it was found that the lid 2 with a main body closure part 2a thickness of 2.0 mm maintained the external shape of the main body closure part 2a neatly and was stable (research experiments 1 to 4).

In addition, using a lid 2 made of material D with a body closure portion 2a having a thickness of 2.0 mm, the ultrasonic oscillator settings were changed to study conditions of amplitude 80%, 75%, 70%, and 60% (study experiments 5 to 8). As a result, it was found that under the conditions of study experiments 5 to 8, there was no deformation in the external shape of the body closure portion 2a, and good ultrasonic welding strength could be obtained between the lid 2 and the top surface of the container body 1.

From the above, it was found that by setting the ultrasonic oscillator's amplitude in the range of 60% to 80%, the welding time to 0.3 seconds, and the hold (cooling) time to the range of 0.5 to 1.0 seconds, stable results could be obtained in terms of welding strength and external shape.

In particular, the results of study experiment 8 show that stable results can be obtained in terms of welding strength and external shape by setting the amplitude to 70%, the welding time to 0.3 seconds, and the hold (cooling) time to 0.5 seconds. Therefore, according to this embodiment, the small ampule container 10 with a stable external shape can be fused in a very short time (within 1 second) without causing liquid leakage. Furthermore, this ampule container 10 has high welding strength, a beautiful external shape of the upper part (head 1a and lid 2), a stable height with no risk of liquid leakage. Furthermore, there is little stress on the head 1a of the ampule container 10 during ultrasonic welding, and there is no deformation of the head 1a.

The present invention can be used, for example, in the technical field of pesticides or horticultural chemicals using ampule containers.

1 Container body 1a Head 1c Body 1d Opening 1f Top surface 2 Lid 2b Rib 2d Opposing surface 3 Welded portion 10 Ampoule container

Claims (6)

A head having an opening at a tip;
A torso portion and
a plastic container body having a head portion and a body portion connected to each other, the head portion having a constricted portion narrower than the head portion and the body portion, the head portion having a cone-tube shape longer and narrower than the body portion, and a diameter of the head portion decreasing toward a tip of the head portion;
a plastic cover welded to the head portion to close the opening;
The container body and the lid are made of polypropylene,
The lid is made of polypropylene having a higher elastic modulus than the container body,
An ampoule container, wherein the difference in elastic modulus between the material constituting the container body and the material constituting the lid is 1050 MPa or more and 1200 MPa or less. The ampoule container according to claim 1, wherein the lid, before welding, has a rib protruding from the surface facing the top surface of the head, and is welded to the head by the molten rib. The ampoule container according to claim 2, wherein the rib is a mountain-shaped protruding portion protruding toward the top surface of the head portion or an arc-shaped protruding portion protruding toward the top surface of the head portion. The ampoule container according to any one of claims 1 to 3, which is used as a container for storing pesticides or horticultural chemicals. A method for manufacturing an ampoule container, comprising: a plastic container body having a head having an opening at a tip, a body, and a constricted portion connecting the head and the body and being narrower than the head and the body, the head having a cone-shaped shape longer and narrower than the body, the head having a diameter decreasing toward the tip, the method comprising welding a plastic cap to the plastic container body to close the opening, and then fusion-plugging the container body,
The container body and the lid are made of polypropylene,
The lid is made of polypropylene having a higher elastic modulus than the container body,
A method for manufacturing an ampoule container, wherein the difference in elastic modulus between the material constituting the container body and the material constituting the lid is 1050 MPa or more and 1200 MPa or less. The lid has a rib protruding from a surface opposite to the top surface of the head,
The method for manufacturing an ampoule container according to claim 5 , wherein the rib is melted to weld the lid to the container body.

Images